Lawn mower



Dec. 9, 1930. F. T, FARMER A' LAWN MOWER Filed May 5, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 f as Patent/ed4 Dec. 9, `1930 I' 5 UNITED sr-Aras raam: r; naman., or Dnraorr, MICHIGAN, AssrGNon or 01m-Hm manna, or `ismw Yoan, N. Y. Y

lrrEN'l?` oralca l Y M'WN MO'WEB.

ApplicationA illed Hay 5,

My invention relates to lawn mowers and particularly to a specific relation of the stationary or cutter bar blade to thecenter or axis of the reel or revolving knives. '5. Among its objects are: (l) To provide a means'whereby every blade of grass that is carried to the cutter bar bladel by the revolving knives will be cut oft'. f 1o (2) To provide la. means whereby the blades of grass while being carried to the cutter bar blade by the revolvin knives will not be pushed below the level o the cutting edge of the cutter bar blade. (3) To provide a means whereby there is no limitto the number of revolvingV blades that can be used so long as there is a little' space vleft between them to seize-the ass and pull it against the cutter bar bla e or stationary knife.

(4) To provide a means whereby the speed of the revolving knives is practically unlimited and the will seize,- carry to the cutter bar and cut c can all the grass that they come in contact with. s A

(5) To provide a meansl wherebynve` short grass can be cut` smooth and the sca lopsseen on a fresh cut lawn entirely eliminate' i in locating the cutting edge of the cutter Y bar blade or stationary kmfe, when the revolving'knives are adjusted in height to cut `the grass at' a maximum length,'so thatthe said cutting edge `of the cutter bar blade will be in cutting contact with the revolving knives or reel at a point where a vertical line drawn from the cutting point of contact will ass thru the center or axis of the reel bear- 1ng, no point of the circle -described by the cutting edges of the reel knives in their revolution, dro pin below the cutting. edge of the cutter arlade.` Then when the reel orrev'olvin knives, 0r in otherwords, the mower is a justedtoJ cut shorter grass, the v cuttin edge of the cutter bar blade is advance infront of the vertical line drawn through the axis of the reel bearing, the amount of this advancement of the `cutter 5 bar blade being in proportion to the amount More specifically, my improvement consists 192s.. 'fserm 1ro. 28,144.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of a lawn mower showing a means for adjusting the position of the cutting elements; and

Fig. 3 is a section onthe line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

A are the drive wheels. B are the end frames which have rearwardly projectingtail piecesH integral therewith. A roller N supports the end of the -tail piece H and is adjustable vertically with respect' thereto through the medium of the slotted arm O thatengages the fastening pin P, all of which is conventional construction and forms no part of my invention and serves as a convement 4means for regulating of the cutting elements. D 1s a reel shaft revolubly mounted in the end frames B and carrying the spider C on which the reel blades 3' are mounted. The lcutter bar G cut, setting the reel center at a point so thatV the lowest point of a circle described b the reel blades as they revolve, comes to the ighest point the grass is desired to be cut. A vertical line is drawn through the center of, the reel as at 11 and the cutting edge of the the position cutting bar blade F is set so as to .make a` cutting contact with the reel 4blades at thel vertical line `11. When the mower is adjusted up or' down 'to cut high or low, thel frame B which carries the reel and cutter bar rotates on the tie rod E with the center of the tie rod as the axis of the wheels. Thus,

reel center of the shaft D travels on the arc 7 to afpoint as 9 of D. 'Illie cutter bar blade cutting edge travels on the arc 8 to a bint designated at 10, the cutter bar blade ing the position of F. As the radius of the are 8 is longer than the radius of the arc 7, it necessarilyy 'follows that the cuttingedge of the cutter bar travels farther on the arc` 8 than the center of the shaft D does'on the arc 7 consequently the cutting edge of the blade F at 10 has advanced in front of the' vertical line that passes through the center or axis of the shaft D. Tfhus, the lowest point of the circle 6 described by the cutting edges of the reel blades is back of the cutting edge 10 of the cutter bar blade as at 22.

23 and 2li represent blades of grass and as they are pulled down to the edge of the cutting blade by the reel blade 3, they are cut off direct and not pushed below the cuttingedge of the cutter bar blade; thus, every blade of grass the reel brings to the cutter bar blade is c`ut oil' and the grass farthest away as at 24 as soon as the end is clipped can spring back, be caught by the next reel blade, ulled down and cut again until the cutter ar blade F which is advancing has passed it. No grass can possibly be ushed under the cutter bar blade and not e cut.

The cutting edge of the cutter bar blade E is some distance in advance' of the vertical 4axial line through D and thus is advanced up on the circle 6 that is described by the revolution of the reel blades and therefore meets the grass that is pulled down by the reel blades and better facilitates the cutting.

It is obvious from the foregoing that when it is desired to cut'the grass very short and often in order to keep it smooth as on the ,putting greens of golf courses, any desired number of blades can be added to the reel and each blade will cut all the grass it gathers;

or the number of blades can be increased andthe speed of the reel also increased and still each blade will cut the grass clean because it carries every blade of grass vto the cutting edge of the cutter bar blade and never goes below that point.

In order for me to place my cutter bar blade V`in the positions as described, I find it .most practical to use what is called a lip blade; that is, the edge of the blade is turned up to form a lip 21 and the top of the lip is. ground back, so as to present a clearance for the cutting edge to meet the reel blades. In practice, I make the lip much thinner than the main body of the blade and have it extending forward at a 40 degree angle so that l as it wears down, a sharp edge is presented to the approaching reel blades, and the worn Surface of the topy of the lip is quite narrow and offers little frictional resistance to the revolving knives. I find that the 40 degree angle given the lip on my construction makes the mower cut fine, no matter how dull the lrevolving knives become, so long as they touch the cutter bar blade, for the cutter bar blade always presents a sharp edge for the grass to hit against, `when gathered by the reel blades.

I claim: A

1. A lawn mower provided with drive wheels, end frames supported by the drive wheels and by a ground roller, a rotary reel provided with knives and carried by the end frames, a cutter bar blade relative to which the said knives rotate and means for adjusting the position of the cutting elements sol that their cutting edges are in vertical alignment with the axis of said rotary reel to cut the grass at the maximum length.

2. A lawn mower provided -with drive wheels, end frames supported by the drive wheels and by a ground roller, a rotary reel provi led with knives and carried by the cud frames, a cutter bar blade relative to which the said knives rotate and means for adjusting the position of the cutting elements so that their cutting edges are in advance of a vertical-line'through the axis of said rotary reel to cut the grass shorter than the maximum length.

3. A lawn mower provided with drive wheels, end frames supported by the drivt` wheels and by a ground roller, a rotary reel provided with knives and carried by the end frames, a cutter barblade relative to which the said knives rotate and means for adjusting the position of the cutting elements so that their cutting edges are in vertical alignyment. with the axisof said rotary reel to cut the grass at the maximum length and in advance of a vertical line through the axis ot' said rotary reel to cut shorter grass.

4. A lawn mower. provided with drive wheels, 'end frames supported by the drive wheels and by a ground roller, a tie rod for connecting the endframes, a rotary reel provided with knives mounted ou the end frames, a cutter bar blade relative to which the said knivesrotatc, means for Vrotating the end frames about the axis of the wheels for adj usting the position of the cutting elements so that their cutting edges are inA vertical alignment with the axis of said rotary reel' to cut the grass at the maximum length and in ,advance-ot a vertical line through the axis of said rotary reel to eut shorter grass.

5. A lawn mower provided with drive wheels, end frames supported by the drive wheels and by ul ground roller, a rotary reel provided with knives and carried by the end frames, a cutter. bar blade relative to which the said knives rotate and means for adjusting the position of the cutting elements so thattheir cutting edges are in advance of a vertical line through the 'axis of said rot-ary reel to cut the shortest grass and to the rear 6. A lawn mower provided with drive Vses wheels, end 'frames supported by the drive wheels and by a ground roller, a tie rod for connecting the end frames,l a rotary reel provided with knives mounted on the end frames, a cutter bar blade relative to which the said lknives rotate, means for rotating the end frames about the axis of the wheels for adjusting the position of the cutting elements so that their cutting edges are in vertical alignment with the axis of said rotary reel to out the grass at the maximum length and in advance of a vertical line through the axis of said rotary reel vto cut shorter grass,

an upturned lip the cutter bar blade havin h b1 d ody o t e ae which is thinner than the and at an angle of 40 degrees to the plane of' the bodyv of the blade. l

v In testimony whereof, I aiiix my signature.

' FRANK T. FARMER. 

